Don’t accommodate French, US soldiers in Nigeria – Shehu Sani cautions Tinubu govt

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has advised President Bola Tinubu against permitting the presence of French and United States (US) soldiers within Nigeria’s borders. Sani emphasized the importance of adequately funding Nigeria’s military to address the nation’s security challenges.

In a post on X, Sani stated: “We should not allow the French forces and American troops expelled from Niger Republic to establish themselves on Nigerian territory. President Tinubu should ensure that our Military and other security forces receive sufficient funding and resources to effectively tackle our security issues. This should be straightforward and unequivocal.”

His caution comes amid concerns raised by some Northern leaders, who have urged the Nigerian government to reject proposals from the US and French governments to relocate their military bases from the Sahel to Nigeria. They cautioned that such a move could pose significant risks to Nigeria’s security.

These leaders alleged that the US and French governments have been lobbying Nigeria and other regional countries to sign new defense agreements that would permit them to redeploy their expelled troops.